Letter to the Editor | Hong Kong: ‘Joshua Wong’s visit to the US will do more harm than good’

Joshua Wong with Sen. (R) Marco Rubio, in Washington DC Courtesy channelnewsasia.com)_

Dear Editor,

Last week, the 20-year-old activist Joshua Wong visited Washington as part of an event held by the US congressional panel co-chaired by Senator Marco Rubio.

Not only was Wong’s picture with Senator Rubio of very bad taste, it did also send a clear message to the world that Hong Kong’s pro-
independence movements might be backed by the Americans. Thus, giving more credibility to those who previously accused him of being America’s puppet.

Such brainless actions are giving more ground to the controversial implementation of article 23 of the Basic Law (Hong Kong’s mini constitution) which would prohibit local political organizations from establishing ties with foreign bodies. Nevertheless, such a measure is unlikely to take place.

Isn’t it paradoxical to advocate ‘self determination’ when at the same time, you are flattering a warmonger who cares about anything but Hong Kong’s well being? Isn’t it contradictory for an ‘independence’ advocate to pose with someone who supported America’s invasion of other countries?

Joshua Wong should consider hiring an adviser or make background researches prior to his meetings so as not to come under fire.

The young activist might not know that, but Rubio as well as his fellow colleagues support anything but democracy and freedom: they support wars, conflicts and supranational submission. Rubio’s only hope being to boost US military presence in the South China Sea by destabilizing the region, including Hong Kong. 

One might argue that a photo isn’t necessarily representative. Well, as we commonly say, ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’.

I am not attacking Wong’s person, I am instead attacking his action by pointing out his lack of political maturity which makes him easily manipulable and corruptible.

Some might perceive Wong’s visit to the US positively and see it as a way to put Hong Kong’s issues on the US agenda. Alas, with or without Wong, Hong Kong is on the US agenda. In other words, his visit to Washington will have no positive impact on Hong Kong’s future.

Moreover, most of us understand that foreign interventions of all kinds have lead to anything but peace and democracy. There is no more need for me to remind you about the number of crimes committed by the Bush administration under the name of ‘democracy’, thanks to local facilitators like Joshua Wong.

In addition to this, the panel recommended Congress to ‘seek its support to US non-governmental organisations operating in Hong Kong, which are assisting local civil society and political groups’.

The so-called ‘conspiracy’ which consisted of saying that American organizations in Hong Kong were used as political and influential tools might be reality.

We have to assume that some American organizations such as the Fulbright Program have a strong influence in Hong Kong, particularly in tertiary education.

Since 2012, the US Fulbright program played an important role in the setting-up of university curriculums around the territory and came under criticism by some academics and members of the public, including myself.

Many Hong Kong citizens are aware and opposed to any kind of US interferences in Hong Kong’s local affairs. Unfortunately, it seems that making such a criticism is enough to cast them on the other side of the political spectrum, thanks to double standards.

All this to say that YES, there is US interference in Hong Kong and that it will only do more harm than good.

Joshua Wong should come back to rationalism, stop this nonsense and apply for US citizenship through the online lottery if that’s really what he wants instead of flattering warmongers.

Only by looking at both sides of the coin can we improve the situation.

Raphael Blet, Hong Kong